KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — Despite the best efforts of health officials and a number of social service and other agencies, the mortality rate for minority infants in Kalamazoo County remains stubbornly high.
African-American infants in Kalamazoo County are four times as likely to die before they reach their first birthday. The YWCA is spearheading a new effort to coordinate all the different agencies to focus on the problem which defies the usual causes.
Poverty is often an issue when infant mortality rates are high, but in Kalamazoo County, it affects all African-American income groups equally.
The Y’s Chief Executive Officer, Grace Lubwama, said even well-to-do blacks are not doing as well as poor whites. She thinks it may be a question of cultural differences that have not been bridged. It’s what they call “cultural competence.”
She said Kalamazoo’s ongoing efforts have done a great job of reducing infant mortality with every group but African-Americans. This week they asked the county commission to join their effort by passing a resolution and assisting in the effort.
They got a warm reception from the board and many promises for support, some commissioners saying there was no more important issues than this one.
